President Duterte has decided to run for senator in the 2022 elections according to Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Monday, November 15.
“Kung ako lang tatanungin, ayaw ko din na VP ang i-file nya. Ayaw ko magkasakitan pa. Tama na ako na lang ang nasaktan. Mataas respeto ko kay pangulo at sa kanyang pamilya. Sana Senador na i-file niya,” he said in a text message to reporters.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier stated the possibility of him running for vice president, saying that he “might” accompany Go to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on Saturday.
Go has withdrawn his vice presidential bid and filed his COC for president after presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte filed her COC for vice president. He is running under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS), an allied party of PDP-Laban.
In light of this, President Duterte has filed for a senatorial position instead and decided not to run against his daughter Mayor Sara Duterte. His decision has been clarified by Go who was asked whether the current president will run or not.
Go made the remark less than an hour before the period of filing for candidate substitution ended at 5 PM on Monday.